4/07/08: SPORTS FACILITIES LEAVE JOHNSON IN THE DARK

by Robert Lee

LONDON Mayor Boris Johnson has been left red faced after claims that he has “no idea” about sports facilities in the capital.

With Mr Johnson just two months into the job, his Olympics adviser Kate Hoey has warned of a policy vacuum in London sport. “Some boroughs can’t even tell you what facilities they have. We haven’t even got an absolute plan of what’s there” she said in an interview for the Metro newspaper. The claims from Ms Hoey will cause concern within government, which has already seen the budget for the 2012 Olympics increase more than four times to over £9bn.

A report on the future of grassroots sport ordered by former London Mayor Ken Livingstone has been dropped by Mr Johnson after its unveiling in May. Public facilities will be seen as a key part of any 2012 legacy. British Olympic Association chairman Lord Moynihan said: “The Games and the Olympic movement give us an opportunity to deliver real benefit to all young people, practical value in terms of sport and recreation about which one day I hope our children will reflect ‘Our parents never had the chances we have today’.

Mayor Johnson has pledged that Londoners will not pay anymore towards 2012 than the £925m already confirmed with the government.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has criticised both the cost and planning of the 2012 Games (image courtesy of backboris.com)

Kate Hoey is working across political boundaries with the Conservative Mayor (image courtesy of katehoey.com)